UTC was such an amazing time. I originally was on the fence and didn’t really want to go to UTC. I was planning on doing something else that week. I prayed about it and the next day my plans opened up, and I just knew it was God’s indication that I needed to go to UTC. I went into UTC with one goal: to meet God on a deeper level. That goal was accomplished by the Lord pretty much instantly. I had some bad experiences with previous girlfriends in the past, and it had led me to genuinely be afraid to talk with girls, even if it was about God. On the bus ride there, I was the only guy. I was forced to break out of my shell and interact and talk with God’s amazing daughters. So even on the bus ride there, God used it to shape and grow me. When we got there, I was able to meet more and more amazing people. When we started worshipping, I felt more joy than I had ever felt before. I felt just a sliver of the worship and joy we will have in heaven.
I was blessed enough to be selected as a leader for both volleyball and the Special (Ooooooooo). I learned how to be a sacrificial leader in a holistic way. In football, I was familiar with being sacrificial physically, putting your body on the line for your teammates, but it never reached spiritual sacrifice. At UTC, I learned to pray hard for and with my teammates. There were times I didn’t feel like praying, and I had to step up because it wasn’t just me who I was helping get through the Special, but my teammates as well. Teammates doesn’t even feel like the right word since they are all dearly beloved brothers and sisters in Christ. I learned a lot from the pastors and UTC staff, but also from the fellow campers from across the nation.
The most powerful thing at UTC was during the Golgotha walk/run. With the board on my back, I felt the love of Christ like never before. All I could think was how I deserved to be put on the cross and humiliated. That would have been a just punishment for all the wicked things I had done. I imagined having a cup of the wrath of God that I had filled to the brim on my own, one that I didn’t want to drink, and Jesus took it out of my hand. I sobbed the entire time. It was too powerful for me not to cry. They weren’t just tears of sadness but of joy that I had been saved. As I was deep into the journey, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, “You are loved, my son.” I urge you to not let the cost stop you. There are followers of Christ around the nation willing to help you. If you go to UTC and are intentional God will shape you using UTC.
Indy Wilhelm | UTC Colorado 2026
